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The Black Cathedral
The Cathedral is the Truest King's seat of power in the Broken Kingdom. Built on the former site of The Black Keep, the immortal lives in these grounds, rules over his subservient mortal royals, and maintains his order of clerical-knights and body-guards. Structure The Cathedral is a structure made of white, silver streaked marble with a roof of white, silver-flaked porcelain tiles. The architecture sports many soaring arches, flying buttresses and grandly raised ceilings. The building itself sits in an expansive green garden and lawn, surrounded by a strong ring-wall devoid of decoration aside its low rounded towers, none of them higher than the outer corners of the Cathedral itself. The ring wall itself is fully faced in white marble, with silvered steel binding the large black gates. Once pure and white on both sides, the outside of the ring wall seems permanently scorched, creating a wavy effect of black and white unevenly competing for dominance. The inside of the wall, remains untouched by whatever blackening graced the outside. It is common knowledge that beneath the rolling green lawns of the courtyard and the pristine Cathedral, lies an underground complex of unknown magnitude which houses not only the Truest King's personal chambers, but the council chambers in which the Royals of the Broken Kingdom meet in addition to the Cathedral's stables, armories, smithies, guest chambers, immense store rooms, and the barracks of the Order of Truths. Doorways near the inside of the ring-wall lead down into these structures, typically placed to be hidden by the beauty of the garden. Outside of the ring-wall, lies a number of complexes not necessarily a part of the Cathedral but too close to be considered separate from it. First are the High Tourney grounds made for hosting visitors from all twelve kingdoms during the yearly High Tournament of each thirteenth month. Second is the High Arena where the trials of Blademasters and training of the Order of Truths takes place on each sixth day. Finally there are an immense campgrounds along the sizable river that runs near the complex. These campgrounds share double duty for hosting the yearly throngs in addition to other visitors. Sharing the same region is the durably built Family Hearth warehouse, the only one allowed them in the Kingdom with its associated corrals, campgrounds, and loading bays. The Execution Stone Standing at the base of the long winding path to the Cathedral proper is a large granite outcropping with a black stone block atop it; called the Execution Stone. Tales surrounding the stone declare that it was initially the keystone for the Black Keep and it serves as a reminder to the Truest King of the dangers of being too merciful or gentle in his rule. Other tales declare the outcropping to be the location where the followers of Gogalith tried to burn the Truest King death at the end of the Northern Gogalith Crusade, proving his divinity as the fire burned away his bonds freeing him to fight against them once again as the Kingdom's armies rode down on them in the flatland below. Hosted Events The Cathedral is the annual grounds which hosts the High Tournament of the Kingdom. This is the battle of the masters and grandmasters of the various crafts, in addition to the main events of the martial contests. The Truest King is only known to attend with consistency the High Tournament hosted the year of a Council of Royals. The Council of Royals is a twelve day event which is hosted in the Cathedral every twelve years. During this time the policies of the Kingdom, matters of long-term concern, trials, and other affairs of state are handled by the Truest King. The Undying Council while not confirmed, it is rumored that the Truest King occasionally hosts the gathering of Immortals in his council halls. Skeptics express doubt that the Immortals would agree to meet on less than neutral ground. Supporters of the idea boast of the King's amnesty and safe haven offered to all Immortals save the Faceless Emperor in the Cathedral. The believers of the Truest may even further argue that due to his undying sense of honor and integrity the Truest King is the only Immortal trusted by all the others unconditionally to keep his word. The most truly devout claim that as the most powerful of all the Immortals, the others bend to the will of the Truest King save for the heretical blasphemers that try to pass themselves off as living gods after the Truest's image. Siege and the Great War The Cathedral came under siege by Tallet forces during the Great War. Much of the complex outside of the walls was destroyed during the event and later had to be rebuilt. Unknown to many outside of the Trinity Order and Council of Royals, the 14th Council-Member was present in the Cathedral during the time of the siege. The Truest King generally attributes he Cathedral's survival to the 14th's leadership during the Siege as the Cathedral was sorely undermanned. The Order of Truths at the time taking on many duties had been stretched thin during the King's offensive against the Tallet with only half its numbers inside the walls at the time of battle. Following the Great War the Order of Truths was absorbed into the new Trinity Order, retaining its identity as one of the three branches with narrower duties. Defenders The defense of the Cathedral is now the primary concern of the Order of War. The immense fortress underground now barracking a sizable force that dwarfs the former Order of Truths. This garrison force is lead by the greatest strategic minds of the Order, and is supported by the Order of Prowess when the Truest King is present. Category:Broken Kingdom